Misadventures with the Twitters

Recently, we here @ The Secret Base have embarked upon our third sortie into the vast cesspool of the Twitters. This sortie was inspired by the two priests who host the excellent podcast, Clerically Speaking, one from the Diocese of Pittsburgh & the other from the Diocese of Victoria in Canada*, who forged their fruitful friendship on the Twitters. By & large, it's been a disaster. For every amusing or prayerful tweet there are a minimum of two or three hateful &/or vulgar tweets, even amidst those who explicitly identify as Catholics. (Yes, I am aware that the Church is full of sinners; that's why we're all in the Church, because we need salvation.) I have gained a renewed appreciation for the anti-Trump bumper sticker, "The Twit Tweets."

Anyway, I posted the following "thread" of three tweets to the Twitters this evening, only then to realize the smug, self-righteous, & self-centered on the Twitters won't care about the soul of an anonymous inmate in the Genesee County Jail, because he's a person, not a GIF; because he's a person, not a "hot take;" because he's a person, not a self-referential poll. Here they are, because I am newly convicted that any & all time spent on the Twitters is a neglect o' The Secret Base.

Great morning in the country #jail today. Two inmates came out for the early sessions, only one for the later session. Bigger groups are interesting, because I stand @ the podium & play preacher, pontificating on the following Sunday's #scriptures, but smaller groups are better.

One of the early guys had recently had a breakthrough, coming to grips with the fact that he bears responsibility for all the wrong he's done, all the damage he's wrought. #CatholicTwitter, please pray for him (God will know who you mean), he's struggling with guilt & shame.

In the later session, Napoleon Solo (not his real name, to no one's big surprise) & I had a rambling conversation about the #CatholicFaith, the #Bible, the Incarnation, & anything & everything else. 'Twas a glorious exemplar of the #fun of #holiness. Let's "taco" 'bout #Jesus!

Bonus! Song o' the Day
The Soggy Bottom Boys, "In the Jailhouse Now" from O Brother, Where Art Thou?: Music from a Film by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen (Mike Papa Whiskey)

*I'm not making fun of the Canadas (though I do so enjoy mocking the Canadas), it's actually called the "Diocese of Victoria in Canada" to avoid confusion with the similarly-named "Diocese of Victoria in Texas."